The bout would become more likely if Khan beats Kotelnik and Hatton loses to Manny Pacquiao, whom he faces in Las Vegas on May 2. Like Pacquiao, Khan is trained in Los Angeles by Freddie Roach. Khan flies to the United States tomorrow and revealed that he will be in Las Vegas next week training alongside Pacquiao.

By HARRY TALBOT

AMIR KHAN has warned Ricky Hatton to beware of Manny Pacquiao’s speed ahead of their Las Vegas showdown.

Khan aims to join the 10st big league by beating WBA light-welterweight holder Andreas Kotelnik at London’s O2 Arena on June 27.

But he will not take sides for his pals’ world pound-for-pound decider on May 2.

Khan, a good friend of the Hitman, now spars with Pacquiao at trainer Freddie Roach’s gym in Hollywood.

Bolton-born Khan, 22, said: “It’s going to be hard watching. If Ricky doesn’t let Manny settle he could take it but Manny’s the fastest guy I’ve ever been in the ring with and being southpaw makes it more awkward.”

It has been argued by fans, many of them on this very web site, that Hatton will NOT automatically be placed at #1 in the illustrious top-ten if he manages to upset “Pac-Man.” And these fans have made many good points as to why Hatton shouldn’t be put at the top of the pile. Shouldn’t Juan Manuel Marquez, the man most experts have at #2 right now, go to the top if Pacquiao is beaten? The Mexican star is a better fighter than Hatton, right? At least pound-for-pound he is. Or how about Shane Mosley, or Paul Williams? Begging Hatton’s pardon, but right now these fighters, and a few others, reside higher than he does in the P-4-P lists, and even if Hatton does manage to pull off one awesome win over the Filipino legend he will not have done enough to deserve to be ranked higher than these men.

“Just watch,” Pacquiao said, sounding supremely confident he will get the job done when ranged against rugged British banger Ricky Hatton on May 2 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

“I know what to do because I trained hard and I believe in myself,” said Pacquiao, who was treated like a rock star when he graced the Philippine Heritage Day at the famed ballpark just before the actual game between the SF Giants and the San Diego Padres where he was made to throw the ceremonial pitch to the delight of the huge crowd.

“I have a marauding style, full of aggression. Manny is not as big as Kostya, but they are both a difficult proposition for different reasons. Manny will have a speed advantage, but I was told before I met Paulie Malignaggi that he would have a speed advantage, but that flattered him.”

“But it is not just size and power that Manny and Freddie should be worried about. Manny is in and out, he pulls out of range, quick on his feet, likes to shift in and out, but when he lets his hands go and is right in the firing line and misses, he leaves himself wide open. There are dangers [for me] just like there were with Kostya Tzsyu, but there is no doubt in my mind about victory.”

Roach said he takes issue with a common conception, that Hatton will be the stronger man comes fight night. “I disagree with that,” he said. “Manny has kayoed four sparring partners out of seven. He’s looking good at this weight. Hatton will be heavier at fight time but that doesn’t make him stronger. I have the stronger fighter, I guarantee that.”

When asked if Hatton would win the bout because Senior was his trainer, Floyd flurried, and then backed off. “I would say so,” he said, then paused and added, “He probably could win without me. He definitely has a much better chance with me than without me.” Freddie took the smart route from the start, saying that Manny was a great fighter when he came to the Wild Card, eight years ago, and that is up to Manny to win the fight. “He will win the fight himself, he doesn’t need me,” Roach said.

“I hope to claim the number 1 pound for pound spot,” said Hatton. “Manny has beaten Juan Manuel Marquez, the pound for pound number 2, twice. If I beat Manny Pacquiao, I believe I should go to the top pound for pound spot in the world. If I do what I do best, I will have too much in every area for Manny. I could not be more positive about the outcome of this fight.”

“We’re extremely pleased with the way fans have reacted to this event and I’m really not surprised that this fight is sold out,” said Oscar de la Hoya in a PhilBoxing.com report.

De la Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions along with Top Rank Promotions are at the helm of promoting the “Battle of East and West.”

“Given that the live gate for this event is sold out, coupled with the sellout of tonight’s San Francisco Giants baseball game where Manny is the guest of honor, indicates to me that ‘The Battle of East and West’ is on track to break all existing pay-per-view records,” said Top Rank Chairman Bob Arum

Manny Pacquiao, renowned as the world’s best pound-for-pound boxer, was on the premises to throw the ceremonial first pitch on Filipino Heritage Night, a nod to the Bay Area’s large Filipino-American population. Just the brief appearance of the earth’s most influential Filipino, along with a giveaway of a limited number of Pacquiao bobblehead dolls, was enough to help the Giants sell 11,000 extra tickets. By comparison, last year’s first of two Filipino nights drew a group of 5,000.

The turnout also raised approximately $50,000 in charitable proceeds.

It is virtually impossible to find a superstar athlete these days for whom some disdain can’t be mustered. Michael Phelps gets busted. LeBron James gets the benefit of the NBA’s preferential refereeing. The Williams Sisters get surly. Rafael Nadal showed some audacity by suggesting tennis adjust its schedule to his liking. And Derek Jeter is a Yankee.

But there is Manny Pacquiao, all 5 feet, 6 inches and 140 pounds of him. What is there about him not to like?

LOS ANGELES, April 21 - After capturing the world’s attention, “The Battle of East and West”, the mega-fight between Manny “Pac Man” Pacquiao and Ricky “The Hitman” Hatton on May 2nd at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, has officially sold out. For those not as fortunate as the thousands of fans who will be in the arena that night, there is still a chance to experience the action in Las Vegas as closed circuit tickets are still available at Mandalay Bay, Mirage, TI, Monte Carlo, Circus Circus, Luxor and New York-New York.

“Given that the live gate for this event is sold out, coupled with the sellout of tonight’s San Francisco Giants baseball game where Manny is the guest of honor, indicates to me that ‘The Battle of East and West’ is on track to break all existing pay-per-view records,” said Bob Arum, Chairman of Top Rank.

Bob Arum is out of his damned mind if he thinks this thing is going to even approach the 2.4 million buys that Oscar de la Hoya and Floyd Mayweather Jr. put up in 2007. We’re in a horrendous economy for one thing (although this has never seemed to really dawn on Arum, to be fair), and for another thing, no offense to Ricky and Manny, but their two biggest fights put together don’t equal what Oscar-Floyd did. Pacquiao’s fight with Oscar did 1.25 million; Hatton’s with Floyd did 900,000 in a much better economy. And again no offense, but Ricky Hatton is not Oscar de la Hoya.

“I don’t see a versatile fighter in Pacquiao,” said Hatton. Ricky explained that Manny throws one-twos while jumping in and out - something that his team feels is too predictable. The Hitman also talked about seeing Pacquiao leaving himself wide open when he misses with the left hand - something he hopes to exploit on May 2.

The junior welterweight champ is currently finishing up his training camp and he told us that tomorrow afternoon will be the last day for sparring before letting his body regroup during the final week of the fight. He noted that he didn’t want to make the same mistakes as De La Hoya did in terms of overtraining for the fight which he believes left Oscar depleted and weak. Even though Pacquiao has already fought at 147, Hatton feels that Manny still hasn’t faced someone as physically strong as him. He also feels that his speed is underrated. “Most expected Malignaggi (who has fast hands) to outspeed me, but it was actually me who was faster,” explained Hatton.

FM: I heard something like that, but whatever the case may be, I'm the one that trained De La Hoya when De La Hoya whooped his ass. I sure did mess him up. I messed him up enough to whoop his ass.

PC: (Laughing) He said you made him fight a certain way that didn't benefit Oscar.

FM: De La Hoya fought a different way because he wanted to fight a different way. De La Hoya told me to teach him how to fight like Lil Floyd. That's what De La Hoya did. De La Hoya is the one that wanted to fight like Lil Floyd. I don't tell nobody how to fight. You fight the way you want to fight. Any way you want to fight, I'll train you that way because I'm good enough to do it like that. He [Mosley] needs somebody to train him. I hope he don't think he got a helluva victory because he beat Margarito 'cause when Lil Floyd come back and get a couple of fights, I'm going to make sure Mosley get his ass whooped.